


Cupid's Bow

by AkaSHEEEEEEE



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Greek Mythology, Eros and Psyche, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-09-16 12:17:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9270905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AkaSHEEEEEEE/pseuds/AkaSHEEEEEEE
Summary: Oh gods, he fell in love with a mortal, and Kuroo would never let him forget it.





	1. Lucky Charm

**Author's Note:**

> Greek stuff! Welcome. First and Foremost, I wanted to talk about my lovely friend Luluw5 who refuses to let me put her as a co-author, but helps me massively with this work. So so thanks Luluw5, you are beautiful and I appreciate you. Her Tumblr is haikyuuaus go check her out.

House calls had never been Kei’s speciality, but when the god of bedhead was involved, he had no say in the matter. Had he been alone, the ordeal would not have been quite so unpleasant; finely aged wine, silk pillows, a view of the sunset that most people would  _ kill _ for, the only thing lacking was the company. Though lacking may be the wrong word. For Kei, there was an overabundance of company.

“–And you know, he’s stronger than he looks ‘cuz he can actually pick me up like  _ whoosh _ , and it  _ was _ super romantic until his chiton got caught on the latch,” Hinata, god of diminutive stature, boundless energy, and balls of gas chirped happily. “It took him five whole ticks to get free, and I told him that I could, you know, _ zap _ him loose, but he got the shitty stubborn look on his face and told me to shut up–” 

The sad thing about Greek temples was that they were designed to echo. No matter how hard he tried to tune out Hinata’s inane ramblings, the story found a way to bounce back and slam into Kei’s growing headache.

 

“–So by the time he actually got us to the bedroom, most of his clothes were torn off already, and I’m mean like  _ wham _ –”

 

“Woah there,” a svelte voice cut in, “no profanity in front of the k-i-d.”

 

Kei turned to face the heckler, sneer already in place, “G-e-t b-e-n-t.” If one person could be blamed for Kei’s current suffering, it would certainly be this asshole, Kuroo, god of terrible hairstyles, provocation, and something he referred to as  _ animal husbandry _ . Kei tried not to think of what that could mean. 

 

“But that wasn’t profanity, Kuroo,” Hinata insisted. His deceptively innocent eyes turned up to look at Kuroo. The people Hinata looked down on were few and far between, and even leaning on the doorframe, Kuroo failed to be one of them. “Was it?”

 

Mortals had a way of depicting gods: typically in the nude, holding a pose of victory, power, or status, and often wearing some sort of distinguishing symbol to tell them apart. The latter was important, because according to mortals, all gods had strong jaws, awe-inspiring muscles, and a reasonable hairline. Kuroo did not. 

Someone broke the mould on Kuroo, Kei was sure. He resembled a delinquent more than he did a divine being, with his sly, narrow eyes and unruly nest of hair. While Kuroo claimed that this impression was an unfair interpretation of his natural charm, Kei had the sneaking suspicion he secretly cultivated the look. Those bright eyes looked as though they could stare into your soul, but he was no god of insight. He simply had an intelligent way of perceiving the world, one that Kei both envied and despised.

 

“Can’t you tell? Tsukki’s getting uncomfortable, all this talk of marriage and honeymoons, you didn’t forget he’s single, did you Hinata?” Kuroo fixed Kei with a leery grin, insolence dripping from each word. “I might get uncomfortable too, if this story’s heading where I know it is.”

 

“Well that makes sense. You’re the picture of repressed chastity, Kuroo,” Kei quipped. Kuroo offered him an exaggerated shrug. The excessive movement caused his precariously folded robe to fall open, exposing even more of his chest. Here too, Kuroo defied expectations. Instead of the bulging, swollen physique mortal artisans enjoyed fantasizing about, the god possessed lithe, taut muscles that laced his frame like vines wrapped tight around a tree trunk. 

 

“I think we both know which of us is more chaste, Tsukki.” Kuroo returned with a lazy grin. Kei sighed. As the god of not only love, but sexual attraction as well, Kei couldn’t claim to have ever been considered pure. But he had better things to do with his time than waste it on other people’s exploits. Coming here would serve to answer only one question: why a mortal? It honestly boggled Kei’s mind that Hinata would marry a human, petty, inferior things they were, whose lives expired almost as quickly as they’d come to be, like a sputtering flame. Gods frequently took human lovers, calling it common would be putting it delicately, but marrying that lover was almost unheard of.

 

Of course, when Hinata was involved, other people’s expectations, and even common sense, went out the window. Marrying a human didn’t break the sun god’s top ten stupid stunts. Besides, Hinata had found a human whose stupidity was compatible with his own. Kei had never seen the sun god shine so brightly as he did he spoke about his husband. It almost made him wonder if his own life lacked a certain...spark.

 

Kuroo expected a retort. Kei didn’t rise to the challenge. Given time, he could come up with an appropriately scathing remark. Given time, he could concoct an appropriately vague excuse to relieve him of this get-together. Given time, Kei could do a great many things, but the flow of the conversation pushed on far too quickly as Hinata resumed his story with excruciating enthusiasm. 

 

Kei adjusted his wings so he could settle on the couch and helped himself to an olive. Kuroo could always be depended on for fresh fruit or berries. His home reflected on him in many ways; it was loudly decorated, open, and absolutely filled with cats. A maine coon the size of a small wolf lay sprawled out next to Hinata, and a small singapura had somehow made a nest in the sun god’s feathery hair. The worst part was, sometimes Kei suspected that he was the only one who could see them. Hinata was blithely oblivious as always, and Kuroo was supposedly so used to them, that it’s like they aren’t even there. But–

 

“Kenma has allergies,” Kuroo said solemnly. The conversation had switched gears while Kei had been lost in his thoughts. “Cat allergies.”

 

“Oh, that sucks,” Hinata said sympathetically. But his expression morphed into one of confusion as he took the time to process what Kuroo said. “Wait, how is that possible?”

  
“I think he does it just to fuck with me.”

 

“Ah.”

 

Kuroo had found a god to marry, the god of sleep. He was a quiet, intelligent god who was obviously prone to dozing off at a moment’s notice. In Kei’s opinion, he made excellent company. Somehow, Kuroo had convinced Kozume to marry him; how exactly that had happened was beyond Kei’s scope of understanding. Kei couldn’t think of a god whose presence he could tolerate for even the week that Hinata’ nuptials had lasted, much less the rest of eternity. 

 

He disliked times like these, times when he unusual desire for a partner would surface. He had felt it at Kuroo’s wedding, amongst others. Love gods were often invited as some sort of good luck charm. Thing about good luck charms is that they never seem to have any luck of their own. Take the poor rabbit who lost its foot for example. Maybe that’s why he was still single, but he didn’t need another person in his life for fulfillment.

  
  
  
  
  


Akiteru was curled up on one of the couches in his temple, drinking his tea and considering the debate currently enthralling Mt. Olympus: Hinata’s marriage to the human Kageyama Tobio. A cool draft swept through the room from one of the open walls, ghosting over the decorative tiles which well complimented the colors of approaching autumn.

 

The door slammed, and Akiteru sighed into his tea. He barely looked up as Kei stormed by, already thinking of ways to broach whatever topic had his brother in such a huff. He would have to be clever; Kei despised talking about his feelings. 

 

“You’re back earlier than I would’ve expected from a visit to Kuroo’s,” Akiteru said casually. His curiosity burned, but Aki knew better than to let it drive his questioning. Nothing spooked Kei more than a series of direct questions.

 

Kei glared at him, immediately seeing through his veneer of nonchalance.

 

“Hinata was there,” Kei explained tersely. Akiteru could see that he wouldn’t be offering any important information on his own. Well, the most valuable things in life were those you worked for. 

 

“I would’ve figured Kuroo annoyed you more than him?” Aki phrased the statement as a question. Kei collapsed onto one of the room’s overstuffed couches and draped an arm over his eyes. His wings curled around him protectively, downy barriers between the god and the rest of the world. 

 

Several moments passed. 

 

“Yeah,” Kei said finally. “He did.”

 

Akiteru frowned. He picked up his tea and crossed the floor to sit down next to his brother. Kei didn’t look up as his older brother approached, but he shifted his legs off of the couch in order to make room for him to sit. 

 

“What did he do?” Aki hummed over his teacup. His brother’s wings parted, granting him a glimpse of the sour look Kei threw in his direction. He chose to ignore it.

 

“Hinata got married,” Kei said, avoiding the question. Kei wouldn’t lie to him, Akiteru knew, but shamelessly switching the subject was not beneath him. Still, his curiosity was piqued. He decided to let it slide. 

 

“I heard. Did he seem happy?” 

 

“ _ Ecstatic _ ,” Kei hissed. Akiteru began to get an idea of what could be bothering his brother.

 

“It was a beautiful wedding.” Aki decided to press the topic in order to test his hypothesis. “The hyacinths were in bloom, do you remember?” 

 

“Who cares about flowers?” Akiteru sighed. Maybe it would be better to cut to the chase.

 

“Kei, do you want to get married someday?”

 

“Aki-nii,” for a second, Aki thought he could detect vulnerability in Kei’s voice, “kindly shut the fuck up.” And it was gone.

 

Akiteru braced himself and forged ahead. “There’s nothing wrong with being single, but I think you’re unhappy.”

 

Kei glared at his brother, but he didn’t dispute the statement. There was an unspoken rule of honesty between the brothers, dating back decades. Akiteru had lied once, and it had nearly ruined their relationship. Now they learned other ways to fall apart.

 

He took a sip of tea. 

 

“It’s been awhile since you last visited,” Aki remarked. “This must really be bothering you.” 

 

“No. I just figured he would’ve dropped it by now.”

 

“Who? Kuroo, or Hinata?”

 

“Hinata.” Akiteru grunted in surprise. 

 

“Wait, do you mean the teasing, or the marriage?”

 

“The marriage,” Kei said. He lifted his arm and tucked it behind his head. Uncovered, his eyes seemed to search the ceiling for answers. “I figured that he would get tired and move on from that mortal, but they’ve moved in together. In a couple of decades, it’ll be over. So what’s the point?”

 

“Well,” Akiteru said cautiously, “if Hinata and Kageyama are both happy, I don’t see the problem. Besides, it’s not unheard of for a mortal beloved by a god to be granted immortality, if they have proven themselves, and King Ukai agrees.” Steam rose from Akiteru’s cup, turning the air between the brothers hazy.

 

“True,” Kei admitted. “But wouldn’t that simply make their pettiness eternal?”

 

“Maybe you could find a human who isn’t petty?”

 

“Such a human doesn’t exist. And even if they did, they would just be after something.”

 

“You can’t think of a figure from your past who truly loved you, with no ulterior motives?”

 

“Do. Not.” His wings fluttered irritably.

 

“Besides me, of course,” Akiteru said with a grin. Kei’s look said,  _ don’t test your luck _ , but Aki could tell it was just a front. Well, mostly a front. Kei sighed and pressed his cheek against the couch cushion.

 

“Why don’t you tell me what Kuroo said?”

 

“I don’t want to talk about the god of bedhead.”

 

“God of fruit trees and animal husbandry,” Akiteru corrected gently. “I know you’re mad, but do you want to be plagued with bees again?”

 

“Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot my place. Please accept my most humble apologies, Aphrodite, child of the sea foam and the first rays of dawn, gifter of love and affection to all mankind.”

 

Akiteru looked away awkwardly, “That’s a little too formal….” Kei snorted. 

 

“I’m fine, I really am,” he insisted. “Just...not as fine as I’d like to be.”

 

“Maybe you should look for someone…?” Akiteru triled off as Kei fixed him with a glare.

 

“ _ No. _ All the gods I know are hypocritical, petty children with far too much power.” Akiteru barely got his mouth open before Kei held up a finger and continued; “and a human wouldn’t work. Even if I could find one that I could truly love, it’d be over within a few decades…. That’s not worth it.”

 

“Kei. You- seriously?? Hundreds of gods and goddesses,  _ billions _ of humans, and you don’t think any will be suitable? I don’t think you’re even willing to try!” Kei’s eyes widened, his blank, golden gaze slowly beginning to narrow.

 

“Really Nii-chan? You want me to look through all the gods, and humans in existence to to find a partner? I’m not desperate.”

 

“Kei, what you are is unhappy.” Kei stilled, looking away from his  brother. He was quiet.

 

“I… am content.” He rose from the couch. As he began to move, Akiteru spoke into the hush that had fallen over the room.

 

“You haven’t been to the human realm in…” He trailed off, hoping for a reaction.

 

“... Ten years.” Kei finished, his tone painfully neutral. 

 

“That’s a long time for humans. You should at least give them a chance.” Kei hadn’t turned around, but he’d paused long enough for Akiteru to say his piece.

 

“Good night, Aki-nii.” And Kei left the room, the quiet sound of his padding footsteps paused when he reached his room, entered, and the hush fell again.

 

Akiteru sighed, smiled ruefully, and briefly calculated.

 

“Ten years, huh. Then he’d be… eighteen now.”

  
  


Kei flopped on his bed, thoughts churning. Why did everyone feel the need to remind him of this right now? Akiteru, with his good intentions and  _ flawless memory. _ Ten years ago… Kei suddenly tried to grasp his quickly dispersing anger. Rage was simpler than nostalgia. He thought of Kuroo, with his dumb, self-satisfied smirk, and Hinata with his sappy disposition and lack of common sense trying to rekindle that spark of rage. But as he sank onto his bed, Kei felt only an overwhelming melancholy.

 

Sleep didn’t come easy. Trying to clear his mind only invited thoughts Kei would rather keep locked away. Thoughts of bright summer days and high, clear voices filled his brain as he struggled with slumber. 

 

His eyes opened to words spoken in another time.

 

_ Hinata’s journey across the sky was accompanied by a dense heat that hung in the air. The bright rays of sunlight made the early afternoon glow. Kei had remained within the relative cool of his temple, hiding from the sweltering summer air, until a voice echoed through his chambers. _

 

_ “Great god Eros! God of love!” Was it a prayer? Most who prayed to a love god would look to his brother, besides, this voice sounded like a child, not a desperate teenager trying to weasel out of their arranged marriage, or even an tribute from an elder whom he had blessed in the past. The voice laughed; peals of cheerful, clear laugher filled Kei’s head. He moved to his scrying pool. Upon summoning the image of the voice’s owner, Kei was floored for a moment. Within the crystal surface of the scrying pool, Kei could see a strawberry field. Not an altar, or a temple, but rows of the low, dusty plants neatly growing. A child danced amidst the rows, maybe eight years old. His laughter rang through Kei’s head. _

 

_ “Great god Ero-” The boy tripped, falling on his back. He lay there giggling, his eyes squeezed shut against the sun’s light. He then sat up, looking towards the edge of the field. Kei saw a woman standing there, probably the boy’s mother. From what he could make out, she had the same dark hair and fair, tawny skin dusted with freckles. Kei couldn’t hear her words, but as she stepped out of the frame, the boy moved to follow. The image sunk back into the depths of the pool, leaving Kei with a small smile on his face, and with no idea why. _

 

_ Kei blinked, and the surface of the scrying pool rippled. It reflected a clear darkness where there had moments ago been light. His room felt colder, if not for a lack of sunlight, than for a lack of accompanying warmth. Hazy shapes began to stir within the crystal waters. Kei squinted, trying to make out the unbidden scene. It wavered in and out of sight, pulling focus onto small details; a crumbling brick, clumps of weeds, a single, torn sandal.  _

 

_ A high, tremulous voice called out to him, “Please, I’m so scared, I just want to go home.” An unspoken wish, a prayer, for a warm, familiar embrace jerked tears from Kei’s eyes. He leaned forward, now desperate to see into the murky waters of the scrying pool, and lost his balance. The ripples spread, swallowing his tears, and then Kei himself as he followed them into the Stygian waters. He held his breath for as long as he could. The darkness was endless. Kei couldn’t distinguish up from down; he was unable to find his way back to the surface. Finally, once he could take no more, Kei surrendered with a sharp gasp. Painfully cool air filled his lungs– _

 

–and Kei awoke, panting, covered in a cold sweat. His pillow was warm.

 


	2. An Accident

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kei meets Yamaguchi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so writing is hard when school's kicking your ass, but even harder when you don't write because your brain is apparently broken. But chapter two is done! Mostly thanks to haikyuuaus.tumblr.com for gently reminding me to write. Check her out!

Kei paced around his room, bare feet padding against the cool tile of his floor. He moved in a near rectangle, the large bed against the wall blocking him from making a full circuit of the room. Eventually he gave up and sat on the sill of the open wall that  showed a sweeping view of the clouds, russet leaves fluttering past. Replaying the dream in his mind was all he’d done since waking up just past midnight. Now Hinata was getting to work, leaving his husband for the day. Damn Hinata, if he hadn’t married that human no one would be pushing him to this. He really should’ve known he’d dream of time past what with everyone’s pestering him. Oh, hell. He grabbed his quiver and moved to the door, pulling it open just as Akiteru raised his hand to knock.

 

“Ah! Good morning Kei. I heard you pacing around, is something wrong?” Akiteru cocked his head inquisitively. 

 

“Nothing is wrong, I’m headed out.” Kei could  _ see _ the curiosity sparking in Akiteru’s eyes. Yet he held back, after Kei’s shutdown last night.

 

“Ok? Well, good luck.” Akiteru, supportive even when he had no idea what Kei was doing. Kei gave him a half smile as he headed off out of the temple. Today he would visit the human realm, if only to shut everyone up. 

 

Kei strode to the edge of Akiteru’s temple grounds and paused, staring down into the sky that hung over the human’s terribly limited world. If they could look just a little further, he thought, they’d see us up here, squabbling like children who hold the power to destroy their planet. How strange they are, to worship us. He then stepped off the edge into a freefall, dropping through the clouds like a stone. Cold air rushed around him as he fell, racing along his body and catching on his wings. Stronger than bird’s wings, they strained against the pull of the earth, itching to spread and lark on the wind. Quickly before any discerning mortal eye could observe him, Kei concealed himself from mortal view and snapped his wings open to catch himself. He angled himself towards the earth, diving so rapidly, that he was nearly in a free fall. But this was different. While falling had its own attraction, simply giving in and allowing the air to drag his limp body about as it pleased, flying brought on a different rush. He felt powerful. He had to hold his wings taut against the air howling past him, take charge of his own direction and speed. Any shift in posture could change his direction drastically. But then, where did he plan on going? He held firm on a steady course to nowhere. 

 

Kei alighted outside a village as dawn broke on the horizon. Already people were bustling about, opening shops and tending their land. It was a small village, neighbor to a forest whose huge, dark trees dwarfed even the tallest houses. The other side stretched out into wide fields of crops near ready to harvest before winter plunged the world into bright, cold light. The village itself looked like nothing special to Kei. 

 

Invisible, the god crept into the bright village and wandered into its heart, where a tall tree had been planted. He fluttered to the high branches and settled to observe the movements of the humans. 

 

Telling scenes of a wide, joyous smile, and messy dark hair had been so pervasive in his mind’s eye that when he looked down and spotted matching features among the throng, he almost convinced himself that the young man was a hallucination. Kei leaned forward as the boy moved behind a branch particularly thick with leaves. He felt, rather than saw his quiver tip over as he shifted, and subsequently caught it without looking. Pushing it back into place, he focused on the human now heading down another street. 

 

Kei flew to the roof of a house to watch him walking home. The boy smiled sweetly at someone in passing. Kei felt drawn in by the gentle curve of the boy’s lips, a perfect cupid’s bow. Wait, why did he think that? Kei tore his eyes from the mortal, and his gaze happened to fall on his quiver. The quiver containing a golden arrow stained with blood where he’d accidentally cut his palm. Part of Kei was relieved to understand where the errant thought had come from, while the rest of him was terrified. The god’s heart fluttered, a mixture of trepidation and adrenaline, and if only that were all. Love. He was in love, and with a mortal no less. 

 

Briefly, Kei visualized the child he’d first met all those years ago. He’d been very small, like all humans were when they were young. His hair was lightly tousled, like it had been back then. The same freckles, more freckles, sunspots Hinata bestowed upon his favorite mortals. Hinata must really like this one, Kei thought absently. But so did he. Oh gods, he fell in love with a mortal, and Kuroo would never let him forget it. 

 

He crossed the rooftops quickly, following the boy home. When he reached a simple house that looked much the same as the others, he entered, vanishing from Kei’s view. The god sighed, wondering what he was to do now. He could ask Hinata for his strategy, but he already knew the sun god didn’t have one. He flew down from the roof, and shifted into the shadows. Disguising himself was rather simple, he hid his wings from mortal view and cast a mask of magic over his countenance. Any who looked upon him would forget his face as soon as they looked away from him.

 

Stepping out of the shadows, Kei observed a man walking past him. He may have been a farmer, with his roughspun clothes and wide brimmed hat. The stranger swayed a bit as he walked, favoring his right side. As he passed, Kei detected the unmistakable odor of sweat, dirt, and animals. This man was nothing special, an average citizen of the town barely worth noticing. But an idea formed in Kei’s mind. He approached the man from behind, soaking up as many details as he could. Slowly, Kei’s appearance began to change. His robes lost their pristine glow as microscopic particles of dirt and grit worked their way into its folds. His sandals frayed, becoming more comfortable and worn with each step. Kei felt his hair lighten and his skin darken ever so slightly as they would if the sun’s rays held any sway over his form. As if he would allow Hinata that much power over him. 

 

Once his camouflage was complete, Kei cleared his throat in order to draw the stranger’s attention. The man turned and fixed Kei with a mystified look.

 

“Oh, hello, I didn’t see you there. What can I do you for?” His expression was guarded, but not suspicious, simply as though he were unused to being stopped in the street by dignified young men. 

 

Tsukishima could count on one hand the number of times he’d spoken to mortals, and during none of those instances had he pretended to  _ be _ one. But he was smart, smart enough to stay under the radar and accomplish what he came here to do. Now if only he felt sure of what exactly that was.

 

“I had a question,” Tsukishima said. His tone was even, disinterested. He mentally gave himself a pat on the back before catching the man’s expectant look. Right, the question. “Who lives in that house over there?” 

 

The man followed Tsukishima’s gesture and raised an eyebrow. “That’s the Yamaguchis’ place. You another suitor of the son?”

 

“I’m sorry?” That was definitely unexpected. The man smirked slightly.

 

“Tadashi Yamaguchi. His fine manners and good looks have caught the interest of most of the town’s young women.” He paused, and leaned in a bit, his eyes lightly scanning Kei’s face. “And a few of the young men, too.”

 

Kei felt a slight flame of jealousy begin to flicker within him. Although he knew it was ridiculous to be annoyed at the thought of others wanting Yamaguchi when he had no claim

to the mortal, and especially since he knew no suitor would be able to compare to him. Yet the flame flickered again. Love was a tricky thing, he decided. Pulling himself out of his thoughts, Kei saw that the man was still observing him carefully.

 

“You’re not from around here, are you?” Ah, the gentle coaxing of information is beginning. Kei decided it was time to go.

 

“I’m not, and while I thank you for your time, I think I should head back to ‘not around here’.” Kei gave the man a nod and turned to go. The farmer watched him curiously, but didn’t pursue him. Kei made sure that he’d turned a corner before vanishing from mortal eyes once more. Fluttering back onto one of the roofs, he perched quietly and watched the house. Yamaguchi Tadashi, huh?

 

Yamaguchi reappeared rather swiftly from the house, carrying a parcel. Kei followed him across roofs and watched him deliver the package. Next pass by his house he ended up with multiple, smaller packages. Kei spent the morning watching Yamaguchi travel around the town delivering things and doing odd jobs. The young man seemed to carry a type of energy about him, cheery and bright. Kei saw after only a few minutes the truth of the farmer’s words. 

Mortals close to Yamaguchi’s age watched his movements reverently, hanging on every word and staring into his clear eyes intently. Kei wasn’t surprised, but he would admit, at least to himself, that he was biased. 

 

As day wore on, Kei weighed his options. Marrying would serve him in two ways; firstly, everyone would shut up about his love life, and secondly, he wanted someone to be with, as much as Kei loathed to admit it. 

 

This mortal could be perfect, although he still had reservations about giving his heart over to something with such a short life span. Kei sighed, knowing that if he returned to the heavens without pursuing this, the memory of that child would haunt his dreams. Looking down at Yamaguchi, he noted that the mortal was headed for the town’s limits without a package. Kei followed him and watched as he approached the fields, moving to sit at the top of a hill and stare out at the sun who, Kei hadn’t even noticed, was beginning to set. Red and orange streaked the sky, and Kei couldn’t help wondering how the colors would play over the mortal’s face. Fluttering off the roof where he perched, Kei landed lightly and took his human appearance once more. This time, he wore no mask. He padded quietly to Yamaguchi’s side, unsure of what to say, but he ended up not needing to speak. When he paused, Yamaguchi looked up at him, eyes widening slightly when they landed on him. 

 

“Pathetic.” Why did he say that? Why was he like this? Kei groaned internally, and helplessly imagined what it would be like if he and the god of time were on better terms, just so that he could rewind this instant and try again. But wishful thinking would get him nowhere.

 

“...Sorry?” Said Yamaguchi, raising an eyebrow while the rest of his expression became guarded. Even like that, Kei thought he still looked beautiful. The setting sun dazzled his eyes, bringing out flecks of gold from those brown wells.

 

“I-i meant,” It was much harder now that Kei was closer to him. Yamaguchi’s dark eyes seemed to pierce Kei, pinning him in place. Never before had he understood how much he valued being able to turn invisible. He gestured lamely at the sunset. “The view isn’t very good here.” Yamaguchi glanced out at the sky, then back to Kei, his countenance still stiff.

 

“Really? I thought the vantage point here was quite lovely.” Yamaguchi’s voice trembled with the effort of keeping defensiveness out of it, which rather defeated the point. Great. Now he thought Kei was weirdly aggressive about trivial things.

 

“I suppose I normally see it from a different place.” Kei murmured, his eyes spending a good deal more time on Yamaguchi than on the view in front of them.

“Oh?” Curiosity sprang into Yamaguchi’s expression aws he looked back up at him, his shoulders relaxing somewhat. “I was thinking you looked pretty new around here.” His gentle prompting was much more effective than the farmer’s had been. Kei moved to sit next to him.

 

“You thought correctly.” Murmured Kei, but then he shut his mouth and turned his head to look at the mortal. Yamaguchi was already gazing back. Kei almost smiled when he remembered these same eyes sparkling at him the last time they had met. They had been softer then, rounder and brilliant, although they were still bright. Yamaguchi had grown from softness to sharpness in many other aspects thought Kei ruefully. He was taller, more slender, but with the same stockiness. His muscles were harder, the baby fat aged away. His hair still closely resembled the last time Kei had seen it though, the only difference being that it was longer now.

 

“Know what else I was thinking?” Asked Yamaguchi, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Well I’m not a mind reader,” Kei drawled, unable to hold off his standard sarcasm. It was his nature. Besides, if he was considering Yamaguchi as a possible husband, the mortal should know what he was in for.

 

“I was thinking you looked pretty familiar.” Kei heard the unspoken question mark quite clearly. Yamaguchi’s eyes squinted at him almost comically. Well. He had been hoping that Yamaguchi wouldn’t remember, everyone else wanted to remind him already. Kei looked out to where the sun had finally slipped beneath the curve of the horizon. Dark streaks of red were all it left in its wake, and those slowly petered out into the purple layer that itself gave way to the overwhelming midnight blue of the sky.

  
“The sunset may be pretty, but I prefer night.” Kei breathed out into the air, already fresh with an autumn chill. He pictured his own words hanging there in a vacuum like the bright stars in space. Then he figured that felt wrong. He wasn’t like stars spelling out an answer, or even a statement. He was more like the moon, hanging there stubbornly silent when someone wanted to wax philosophical. Many would ask questions of love, but few really wanted an answer. Now he had to ask his own questions. He turned his head and saw the true stars hanging there in a brilliant response to all of them at his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, I love comments, and you can find me at swirling-steam.tumblr.com


	3. Late

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yamaguchi's daily routine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy fuck I've been dead. If anyone comes back for this chapter, you are beautiful and I love you. Check out my co-writer Haikyuuaus.tumblr.com.

Akiteru watched Kei with a bemused expression, golden-brown eyes curved into crescents by his smile. He leaned back on the couch he was curled up on, sipping his seemingly ever-present tea.

“Well, hypothetically I think it would be great if a particular human had caught your eye.”

Kei groaned. He really should have known that Akiteru wasn’t the right person to talk to about this. He considered who else he might have talked to, and realizing that his list ended with Kuroo, Akaashi, and possibly Hinata, was reassured that Akiteru had been his best bet. Akaashi was definitely the most intelligent and sane person he knew, yet Kei was very unenthusiastic about forcing him to listen to Kei’s emotional crisis.

“It’s just a possibility. I’m not getting married just yet,” Kei drawled with a vague annoyance that was more directed at himself than his brother.

“So what drew you to him?” Nudged Akiteru, poorly concealed excitement bubbling just under the surface. 

“I’m not in an objective enough place to say,” Kei mumbled, rubbing circles into the scar on his palm. Akiteru’s eyes caught the movement, and he leaned over from his spot on the couch to catch Kei’s wrist and flip his hand over. Kei let him, seeing no point in trying to hide it. Akiteru’s eyes widened when they landed on the scratch, then they slowly travelled up to Kei’s face. 

“Kei. Kei did you do this… on purpose?” Fear and guilt replaced the shock in the dark gold of his brother’s eyes.

“No!” Kei was acutely aware of Akiteru’s self-blaming tendencies. His thoughts were probably already trying to convince him that his mild teasing had caused Kei to force himself to fall in love, the moron. “It was a stupid accident. I was being careless.” Akiteru released his hand and cocked his head, raising an eyebrow.

“Wait, but then can’t you remove the effects from yourself?” Another prime example of why he hadn’t wanted to talk to Akiteru about this.

“Yes. I can.” Kei rose from his seat and strolled off towards the temple’s entrance. “I’m taking a walk.” He called over his shoulder before slipping outside.

Well this was utterly ridiculous. He could end these new feelings if he wanted to, refuse ever marrying, or simply fall in love with someone other than Yamaguchi. He drifted through his brother’s colorful gardens, surrounded by the hues of gathering autumn. But while he may not be one of the three Fates, he noted the significance of this ‘accident’. There was a reason he’d cut himself. Besides, even if he would never admit it aloud, he was secretly thrilled by the joy blooming in his heart. This love was a completely new experience that he wanted to explore.

He found himself at the edge of the temple grounds again. Wind swirled around him as he stared down into the sky, cogs turning in his head. He thought, perhaps if he focussed, maybe he would be able to see Yamaguchi’s home from here. As ridiculous as the notion was, he still knew where he had to go when the sun rose.

 

........................................................................

 

Tadashi lifted the package for Mr. Shimada, who lived near the edge of town. He considered his time thoughtfully, having fewer appointments today, he would have time to pick up some odd jobs.

“Tadashi?” Tadashi looked up, surprised by his mother’s voice from the doorway. 

“I started breakfast, you should eat before you leave.” She smiled weakly, and his heart went out to her. She was trying so hard, even though it was his responsibility to take care of her now.

“Thanks, mother.” He smiled back and followed her quietly to the kitchen. He automatically took over making their food while his mother sat down, her breathing worryingly heavily for how long she’d been up and about. They spoke of simple things, the harvest being prepared for storage soon, whose packages were prepared for delivery. They spoke lightly of Tadashi’s work, careful to avoid the obvious dangers of the coming winter for their small family. Tadashi’s work was the only thing keeping them going, and the cold would kill most of the plants he used to make the medicine they sold. His mother was old, but they didn’t speak of that, either.

Tadashi insisted that his mother go and rest while he cleaned up. She tired easily, and he wanted to take care of her. When Tadashi was finished cleaning, he scooped up a couple medicine packages, deciding to work from the center of town to the outskirts today. 

His work was very routine, his feet tapping the cobblestones, and sometimes the dirt. All the people in town knew him, the elders smiling and politely asking after his mother when he delivered salves and teas for their arthritis and coughs. People closer to his age were in equal numbers to the elderly his visited, surprisingly. Nishinoya, who’d jumped out of a tree which was far too tall for him to have been safely climbing in the first place; and Tanaka, the one who’d prompted Nishinoya to climb the tree and who’d subsequently tried to catch him were two such foolhardy youths.

The smells of the town were simple; bread, earth, animals, and the strange, sharp scent that always came with autumn. This smell almost seemed to bring the seasonal cold. Then came winter, whose smell was a more severe version of autumn’s, losing the smoky, almost floral scent, and becoming sharper, painful to breathe in. Spring softened the edge, turning ice to fresh rain, returning the smell of plants to the air. Tadashi paused as he brought to mind what summer smelled like. Summer was the scent of the man who’d sat beside him the night before, his blond hair and strangely pale skin had carried the aroma of flowers, and the fragrance of a late night bonfire. Underlying it all was a subtle whiff of sweet sweat that brought less innocent images to mind. 

The man had confused Tadashi, and still did as he continued his rounds. From his golden eyes and summery smell to his pale, unblemished skin that proclaimed his rich life out of the fields, he was undeniably beautiful. Yet what drew Tadashi’s thoughts to him time and again was how familiar the man had seemed, as if Tadashi had known him years ago, and he didn’t age a day in the interim. Finally, Tadashi’s thoughts converged on the question that really bothered him; why had this man approached him at all? 

Once he had given Shimada his package he stayed to chat. He liked Shimada, a cheery man of average build and dark hair. He was friends with Tadashi’s mother and had helped their family when she first fell ill. Shimada also happened to be his last stop before watching the sunset. Tadashi had a feeling that Shimada knew he didn’t go directly home after their conversations, but he never brought it up.

“Mr. Shimada…” He said slowly, dripping the words into the air as if saying them carefully enough would let him retract them.

“Yes?” Replied Shimada, his soft eyes focusing on Tadashi’s tense expression and filling with slight concern.

Tadashi carefully pondered a question that would be vague, yet specific enough to get him a satisfying answer. In the same slow tone, he tried, “When was the last time a stranger visited this town?”

Shimada’s eyes squished shut and he hummed while he thought. Then his face relaxed and opening his eyes once more he responded. “Not since I was a child Yamaguchi. Not unless you count your ghost.”

“Ghost?” What was he on about? Tadashi respected the dead, but he was pretty sure he had never claimed to see any of them.

Shimada grinned. “You don’t remember? The story you went to your mom with?”

“No?” Tadashi glanced out the window and saw dusk slowly beginning to set in. He should probably leave soon. Thinking this, he settled back into his chair and raised an eyebrow at Shimada.

“Well, I hope you at least remember the time you went into the abandoned farm and almost seriously injured yourself.” That he did recall. He’d been eight at the time, small and with no father, he had been the target of many childhood bullies. When the town adults had instructed their children to stay away from an old, abandoned farm in the fields because of its structural problems, the ones that tortured Tadashi had decided to throw a ball inside and force Tadashi to go get it.

“Well, when we found you after it collapsed, you claimed a strange man had rescued you. Spooky, huh?” Shimada grinned and watched Tadashi as if he were expected to get whatever joke he was making.

“Sure, spooky” indulged Tadashi, “I didn’t give any specifics or anything, did I?”

“Not that I recall. You were kinda half-hysterical at the time. Understandable though.” Shimada glanced out the window. “Sun’s going down.” His voice quieted.

“Right, I should get home.” Said Tadashi thoughtfully. “Thank you Shimada. I’ll see you next week.”

Tadashi slipped out Shimada’s front door and drifted to the edge of the fields. The sun was lying on the horizon, burning up the sky before leaving it to be a bed of black ash littered with white embers. He settled on the hilltop and stared blankly out at the beauty that normally enraptured him.

“Hello, aga-” came a quiet voice from behind him. The voice was familiar, masculine, and seemed to have cut itself off before saying anything else. Yes, that tone had implied more to the sentence. Oh, right, he should probably respond. Tadashi twisted around and looked up at the man behind him, who slowly moved to his side. He saw… he wasn’t sure what he saw, really. A man wearing a fine, clean chiton, who had light hair. The light around them dimmed, and Tadashi glanced out across the fields to find the sun had finally dropped below the horizon, leaving only dusk. His gaze lingered, and thinking back to the man now sitting beside him, Tadashi could remember nothing about his face at all.

“Tadashi–” So why was his voice so incredibly familiar? He looked back at the man, who appeared to be watching him carefully.

“My name is Tsukishima, I’m from the mountains.” Tsukishima… Didn’t ring a bell. It was pretty though. 

“You appear to already know my name…” Tadashi mentally cursed the way his voice seemed to make the statement a question without his permission. Tsukishima colored slightly.

“Yes, I visited your home earlier. Your mother is a lovely woman.” Surprisingly, Tadashi thought he sounded sincere.

“She is kind, a good person.” Tadashi didn’t trust his voice enough for a longer sentence. His mother was sweet and gentle, and didn’t deserve the fate she’d been given. It wasn’t as if he could track down the three Fates and demand that they change her, so he supported and cared for her. Suddenly he registered what Tsukishima had said. 

“Why did you visit my home? Are you in the area looking for us? Who, ah…” Who are you? There really was no polite way to ask that question. Tsukishima seemed to understand the sentiment though. Tsukishima’s flush darkened, unusually cute on his pale skin, and he pondered a response.

“I came here looking for someone, yes. You are the one I found.” 

It had grown too dark to make out the trees in the distance. They had blended together into a shadowy mass. His mother would be worried soon. Unless she knew Tsukishima had come out to talk to him. 

“Yes…” Mumbled Tsukishima. He glanced up and looked at Tadashi, although his expression was unreadable in the dark.

“It would be amenable to your mother and myself if you would visit my home tomorrow.” He said it all in one rush and then stilled to watch Tadashi’s reaction.

“You still haven’t clarified what your connection to my family is.” Tadashi pointed out. Then he internally smacked himself for the impudence. “That is, I would be honored to visit your home, yet I have no idea what my purpose there would be.” Oddly, he couldn’t see, but rather hear the smile in Tsukishima’s voice when he spoke next.

“That’s not necessary. Not yet anyway.”


	4. Time For Tea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no explanation for why this took so freaking long. the plot got away from me and my writing failed and sunk. Kinda short chapter, but I feel like I'm back in the swing of things and will try to update by the weekend.

Golden light surrounded Tadashi. His eyes fluttered slightly as his senses focussed on his environment. He felt as if he were finally rising from a dream he’d been sunk and mired in for an unknowable amount of time. But he knew where he was. He had just entered Tsukishima’s home, although the journey from his hometown seemed to have faded and blurred in his mind the way Tsukishima’s face always did. When he tried to bring the details of Tsukishima’s features to his mind’s eye, his mind ached with the effort for a moment before the attempt slipped from his grasp like a glimmering golden fish wriggling in the rapids of his memory.  
He studied the room around him to distract his buzzing brain. He was in a room roughly the size of his entire home. The walls were mostly open, looking out over the gardens surrounding Tsukishima’s, well, home seemed the wrong term. The building looked much more like a temple, really. Mind the circumstances of their meeting seemed mildly divine as well. The room was fairly empty, opening into two corridors which lead deeper into the house and furnished with several very comfortable looking couches, but Tadashi had yet to move to one of them.

“Tadashi?” Looking up, he met Tsukishima’s piercing golden gaze. The man was holding two cups of tea, ah yes, the reason he left the room in the first place. Tsukishima approached him from one of the corridor entrances and proffered a cup of tea. When Tadashi accepted it, the warmth seeped into his skin and grounded his senses in something firm. The smell wasn’t really a definite smell he’d smelled before, but it did smell sweet.

“You seem tense.” Tsukishima remarked, sipping his tea. Tadashi watched the steam rising and twisting past those slightly unnerving eyes. 

“Well, I am in your home, and I don’t really know why… you know, I’m not sure what you want with me.” Ok. He needed to find a god that wired jaws shut when angered and displease them immediately. What was wrong with him? Did Tsukishima hate him? Wait, why did he care what Tsukishima thought?

“Well, my, family desires that I marry soon, and I have chosen you as a considerate.” Wait. Wait, wait, what? Tadashi knew his eyes must be bugged out and terrified looking, but Tsukishima simply took another sip of his tea and continued, “Would you like to have a seat?” He gestured vaguely towards the couches.

Tadashi approached one and sunk into the corner. It’s was impossibly soft and enveloped him. Precisely what he needed right after feeling the floor seemingly drop from beneath him. He tried the tea in an attempt to restore the grounded sense it had brought him moments before. He’d been right in his interpretation of the smell, quite sweet, as if honey had been added. It was surprisingly spicy, and brought unusual clarity to his mind. Tsukishima was settled on the other end of the couch watching him interestedly. Tadashi’s eyes narrowed shrewdly and continued with his line of saying whatever was on his mind, as it hadn’t gotten him killed yet, anyway. 

“Are you having a go at me?” This, he realised, was both his greatest fear in the moment, and was also probably true. Why would Tsukishima’s family pressure encourage him to marry a poor, common herbalist?

“No.” Replied Tsukishima mildly. “Why would I be?”

“There is no reason I can think of that would prompt you to want to marry me.” Tsukishima seemed rational if nothing else, so Tadashi felt confident with his reply. 

“Do you believe in love at first sight?” Okay, he hadn’t been expecting that. 

“Well… I don’t think of love very often, I suppose. No, I don’t think I do. Love is something that comes after you get to know a person, not as soon as you lay eyes on them. You can’t know a person from any single image you have of them.” The ghost of a smile drifted across Tsukishima’s expression. “Why do you ask, anyway? You can’t be implying that as your reason for wanting to marry me.”

“Maybe I’m trying to get to know you.” Tsukishima murmured, his gaze softening.

“Oh. I- Oh.” Tadashi stared into his tea to try and understand the situation he was in. A soft snicker brought his eyes back up to the other end of the couch where Tsukishima was watching him amusedly.

“I don’t bite.” That got a blush out of Tadashi, both out of embarrassment and the images brought to the forefront of his mind by the statement. Sweat shimmering on Tsukishima’s skin. The feeling of sharp teeth biting hard enough to make Tadashi’s vision swim. OK, enough of that. 

“You could stay here a while, if you wanted. Think about it.” Tadashi shook his head.

“I have to take care of my mother.” Tsukishima’s eyes softened, his expression becoming contemplative and slightly fond.

“I could have your mother taken care of. She would want for nothing.” Tadashi’s head jerked up.

“You mean it??” His eyes shimmered slightly and his body radiated excitement.

“Of course.” Tsukishima smiled. This human, honestly. 

“It would’ve been a long journey home tonight anyway. Staying here is probably best. See? The sun is already setting.” Tadashi looked in shock out the open wall, the sunlight passing swiftly to release the sky to the goddess of the moon. Her light flowed over the gardens, coloring them silver. A cold light, made colder by the absence of the honey-hued autumn sunlight.

He turned back to Tsukishima, to find the man holding a candle and looking down at him. His smile became slightly disquieting in the candlelight. 

“Here, I’ll show you to your room.” Tadashi drained his remaining tea and rose to follow his host down one of the hallways. He was ushered into a massive room containing a huge bed and wardrobe. Tsukishima offered him an innocent ‘good night’ and took his teacup before leaving. The glow of the candle vanished when he closed the door, but the huge, open window in his room allowed for cool night air and gray light to surround him. There were heavy black curtains on either side of the window, but the light didn’t bother him. He fell into bed and coiled up under the sheets.  
Thoughts of Tsukishima surfaced in his mind, unbidden. Details of the man’s face still evaded him, but other remembrances drew his attention away from that knowledge. Memories of his intoxicating scent, that smoky summer fragrance, and his pale, unblemished skin. His imagination came in handy then, filling in the bare skin he hadn’t seen yet. His eyes slipped shut and he moved restlessly and desperately beneath the covers for a few minutes. He then stilled, and allowed his dreams to curl around his mind and weigh his head down, into the pool of dark sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Sorry about the long wait ;-;


	5. He Who Would Give Up His Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo! Slightly shorter update today, but I'm rolling right into writing the next one. Thanks for sticking around, those of you who have lol.

Kei woke early, his mind buzzing with thoughts of the mortal,  _ Tadashi _ , within his home. He thought yesterday had gone okay, all things considered. Tadashi hadn’t tried to leave, and he’d been embarrassed, not angry or uncomfortable. Kei silently thanked the cosmic forces that he could read emotions, if not thoughts. There had also been definite lust in Tadashi’s mind, but that was normal. He was a god of love and sex, very few mortals or even gods could be around him for long without feeling sexual interest in him. Tadashi knew the difference between love and lust though, so Kei wasn’t concerned.

 

_ “Well… I don’t think of love very often, I suppose.” _

 

Oh, what a lie. Tsukishima had seen enough of Tadashi’s daily routine to know that love consumed him. Maybe not the romantic love that Tsukishima’s question had implied, but his love for his mother dictated how he lived his life for gods’ sake. 

 

He rose from his bed and went to his kitchen, moving silently in the early morning light. He conjured two colorful mugs and watched strawberry tea flow into them from empty air. 

 

“...Tsukishima?” Kei picked up the two mugs and turned gracefully to find Tadashi standing sleepy and disheveled in the doorway. He forced himself to be calm and smiled at his guest. Now to get him out of the kitchen before he noticed the conspicuous lack of utensils.

 

“Good morning. I trust you slept well?” He approached and handed Tadashi one of the mugs, moving past him and trusting Tadashi to follow. He did, although looking slightly puzzled. They walked to the common room, and found breakfast waiting for them. 

 

“Ah, yes, I slept fine. Thank you. Who made this?’” They sat on the same couch as the previous night and dug into the meal. 

 

“My servants.” Kei lied calmly. Tadashi couldn’t prove him wrong, and he was too timid to try. Well, not timid, respectful.

“Your… I haven’t seen anyone?” Tadashi still looked puzzled, and now he was starting to wake up a little more. Kei could see sleep slowly releasing its hold on him, drifting back into empty space until it was ready to claim him once more. 

 

“They are skilled like that.” Kei kept up his relaxed smile and hoped Tadashi would let it lie. He shrugged and continued eating. They bantered lightly over their meal, Kei’s heart fluttering in excitement and contentment. When they finished, Kei politely dodged Tadashi’s bafflement at how their teacups were still full, and invited him to walk in the gardens with him.

 

Tadashi was instantly drawn to the herb gardens, naturally, given his profession, and excitedly examined the mint plants. He began chattering about how lucky Kei was, to have plants in this pristine of condition given the late season. Kei watched him, listening, nodding and agreeing, occasionally dodging inconvenient questions. Eventually they moved on, and walked past flowers in every hue and shape. Tadashi seemed to never run out of conversation when they were around plants, which suited Kei just fine. He didn’t like to talk very much, preferring to listen, and watch. Tadashi’s eyes glittered with excitement, and he gestured as he talked, his hands moving as if through water. When he talked, Kei could see memories filling up his eyes, and knew Tadashi was opening up and talking about himself more than he let on.

 

“Hey, Tsukishima?” Tadashi was grinning up at him, and perhaps for the first time, Kei saw him fully relaxed. Neurotically happy, maybe, but comfortable in Kei’s presence. Being honest with him about his intentions had been the right choice, he supposed. 

 

“Mm?” Kei hummed lightly, allowing a slight smirk to cross his face. 

 

“Tell me about yourself.” Tadashi smiled, and his eyes restlessly crossed Kei’s face, as if try for the millionth time to memorize it before needing to look away. Kei couldn’t allow that, however. He had kept up the mask over his features. The only time he had appeared before Tadashi without it in the town, he had been disguised as a human, and Tadashi wasn’t aware that they were one and the same person.

 

“About myself? Hm, well I have an older brother… I enjoy reading... “ He paused, at a loss. No one had really asked him to describe himself before, and he struggled to find things to share. His hobbies were few, mostly involving reading and playing with celestial politics. Playing, because he didn’t have any emotional investment in the outcome, and besides, no one could touch him, not really. Akiteru and he were the masters of love, not only for humans, but gods as well.

 

“I spend a great deal thinking, I suppose.” Tadashi pondered this for a moment, and Kei wondered if he thought that was a strange response.

 

“What do you think about?” Well this he could answer, at least.

 

“The things we do, and why we do them. Really, the vast majority of things we strive to accomplish are pointless anyway. Take for example the Olympics. All those athletes struggling to be the best, the fastest runner or the one who can throw the discus the furthest. But, with the exception of  _ one person _ in each event, all the others can’t be the best. They strive, they pour their soul into it, and sometimes second place is all they can accomplish. Doesn’t that depress you?” He looked hopelessly at Tadashi, wondering if he would refuse Kei’s perspective in favor of his own, the way many humans would. He seemed to at least be thinking about it.

 

“No, I don’t think I’m depressed by that. After all,  it’s true that the vast majority of people will never be number one. At anything, sometimes. But those people who get second place, the ones who gave their all and poured their souls into the training, without gaining that ultimate satisfaction? They can hold their heads high. They can be proud of themselves. That’s the only motivation they need.” Tadashi grinned, his eyes squishing shut and wrinkling at the corners.

 

This sentiment floored Kei. Pride huh. Well, it was better than his worn-out train of thought at least. He smiled softly at Tadashi and watched his face turn bright red.  _ Oh. _ He could give up his heart even if he would only be able to treasure this sight for a day, much less a few decades. He would give it up gladly. Akiteru’s words drifted back to him;  _ Besides, it’s not unheard of for a mortal beloved by a god to be granted immortality, if they have proven themselves, and King Ukai agrees. _

 

Well then. It’s decided.  _ I will seduce this mortal and then really surprise him by cherishing and loving him and making him laugh. _

 

Kei grinned. Tadashi looked mildly confused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Next chapter should be up soon, as I finally know where I'm going with this story lol. (I say lol too much and I'm sorry)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! My Tumblr is swirling-steam


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